Delhi man held for selling 'baby gender kit'

A Delhi-based person who had lured many couples desirous of a male child by offering a "baby gender-choose" kit was on Tuesday arrested by the police following a trap laid by the Haryana Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department.

A Delhi-based person who had lured many couples desirous of a male child by offering a "baby gender-choose" kit was on Tuesday arrested by the police following a trap laid by the Haryana Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department.

Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration Dr Rakesh Gupta said the accused, Sanjay Khatana of Delhi enticed couples wanting a male offspring by advertising the "baby gender kit" through a website. He used to sell the kit Rs 6,000 each. Khatana runs an office on Bristol Lawrence Road in Delhi.

Dr Gupta said a decoy customer, Gunjan Malhotra, along with deputy civil surgeon, Gurgaon, Dr Saryu Sharma called the accused to Khandsa Road in Gurgaon for delivering two kits for conceiving a baby boy. Dr Saryu Sharma posed as a private medical practitioner and told Khatana that her customer Gunjan Malhotra who has three daughters wanted a male child. A sum of Rs 12,000 having marked currency notes was exchanged.

The accused described the procedure of taking medicine and claimed that he had given these kits to about 60-70 couples in Punjab and Haryana. He said the success rate of medicine is almost 100%.

Regarding the procedure, Khatana said the 'X' chromosome moves faster than the 'Y' chromosome, which is responsible for conceiving a male baby. But in alkaline pH, 'X' becomes docile. So from the day of ovulation, which is determined by the kit, the pH of the female is maintained alkaline for conception of a male child with the help of diet plan and tablets provided in the kits.

The kits seized from the accused contained a 'BGC boy guide' in which the procedure for conceiving a male baby is described. It also contains food supplement and strips for checking ovulation.

A three-member team nabbed the accused red-handed. An FIR was registered under Sections 6A, 3A, 22(1), 22(2), 22(3) and 23 of PC and PNDT Act in city police station, Gurgaon, after Khatana's arrest. There is provision of imprisonment of up to 3 years or fine of Rs 1 lakh or both.